Walker is 6 months and his first ER visit

"Mommy and me at Adam's 1st birthday party. I had such a good time!"

 So, R lost the 6 month sticker so I don't have one. I was upset for a week about it.

He's doing so well at home. Remember that weird eye thing I was talking about? Well I had read online that it could be premature optical nerves and I'm pretty sure that is what it was. Every time his eyes would go "crazy", it seemed like he was trying to look up. Now he is able to look up and the craziness has stopped. He does cross his eyes when he's trying to focus on himself in a bathroom mirror. I'm not concerned about that and think it's funny. He self corrects himself too.

He's sleeping through the night. He goes down anywhere from 8 or 9 and wakes up between 7 and 8. He takes 6-8 bottles a day, 80cc. His TPN/Omegaven is set for 16 hours a day. We turn the pumps on at 6pm and it goes off at 10am the next morning. So those are our free times with a free range baby. 

His neck control is amazing. He likes to sit in my lap and work on his core, but you put that baby on the floor for tummy time and you would think we were torturing him. He HATES it! But sorry Charlie, you have to do it!

I'm a tough Momma, no doubt. I'm pretty by the book but do things at my own time. I'm not concerned with Walker hitting milestones because if he's going to achieve them, he will and if he doesn't it doesn't mean we will love him less. He has to work harder and we know that and he'll do things at a slower pace. Even our pediatrician said, don't worry about things right now. He'll catch up.

Our first ER visit, post leaving the NICU was interesting. Every thing was wonderful and Walker was doing fine all day. I changed an explosive poopy diaper and I'm looking at it thinking how his circumcision is completely healed now, and then a couple hours later changed a pee one. And that's when we saw it. Walker's foreskin on his penis was swollen and black and purple. Yeah, cue what-the-hell-just-happened-moment.

We took him to TCH's ER and everyone is dumbfounded. They had to ask if he's been dropped or had any injury to his genital areas. Um, no. I hate questions like that but I know they have to ask them. We were seen by the ER doctor, urology and surgeon and it's a broken blood vessel that burst and then started to clot.

So, what do we do about? They put numbing cream on his area and then injected more numbing stuff for comfort. Then, with the HUGEST needle known to baby-kind, he stuck the penis in numerous areas. Like dug and poked and prodded. And then squeezed the penis area to release the blood. Blood, blood, everywhere! Walker of course took it like a champ and just whimpered a little in the beginning. I know it was numb but come on, you would feel something. They recommended Tylenol at home but he's only needed it once. He's so strong.

And lastly, I love my baby. Like really, really, deeply, wholeheartedly, LOVE him. We know how blessed we are. But having him home and the reality of it, is so much more that it would make anyone mushy.

We have three doctor appointments this week. Last night at the ER Walker weighed 11 pounds! He's growing and gaining and happy!